Examples of the conventionally-known cut grass (grass clippings) processing schemes or modes include a bagging mode, a mulching mode and a discharge mode. The bagging mode is where grass cut by a cutting blade or grass clippings are collected in a grass clippings receptacle. The mulching mode is where grass clippings are chopped into finer pieces within the housing and then discharged downward of the housing. Further, the discharge mode is where grass clippings delivered from the housing are discharged directly downward without being collected in the grass clippings receptacle. Among the conventionally-known types of the discharge mode are a lateral discharge type (lateral discharge mode) where grass clippings are discharged laterally of the housing, and a rear discharge type (rear discharge mode) where grass clippings are discharged rearward of the housing.
Further, examples of the conventionally-known lawn mowers include one switchable between the bagging mode and the rear discharge mode. Switching between the bagging mode and the rear discharge mode is effected by attaching or detaching a grass clippings receptacle to or from an exit of a chute extending rearward from the housing. In the bagging mode, grass clippings are collected in the grass clippings receptacle attached to the exit of the chute. In the rear discharge mode, on the other hand, grass clippings are discharged downward with the grass clippings receptacle detached from the exit of the chute.
However, because the grass clippings receptacle is attached or detached each time switching is made between the bagging mode and the rear discharge mode, further improvements have to be made for securement of a storage location for the detached grass clippings receptacle and enhanced portability (i.e., ability to be easily carried) of the detached grass clippings receptacle. Thus, it may be conceivable to construct a bottom plate of the grass clippings receptacle as a pivotable plate and open the bottom plate by pivoting the bottom plate downwardly. Examples of such a technique for opening and closing the bottom plate of the grass clippings receptacle by vertically pivoting the bottom plate are known from Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Publication No. S62-60126 (hereinafter “Patent Literature 1”), Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H01-222716 (hereinafter “Patent Literature 2”) and Japanese Post-Exam Utility Model Publication No. H04-24902 (hereinafter “Patent Literature 3”).
The lawn mowers disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 to 3 are constructed so that, in the bagging mode, grass clippings are collected in the grass clippings receptacle and then the thus-collected grass clippings are discharged to a disposal site by the bottom plate being pivoted downward to open. Further, Patent Literature 3 discloses a lawn mower including a sliding bottom plate provided on the lower surface of the grass clippings receptacle. However, with the lawn mowers disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 to 3, an appropriate arrangement has to be made to prevent jamming of grass clippings in movable portions of the bottom plate, and besides a troublesome cleaning operation would be required.